


Christmas Magic: Or, An Essay on Strange Developments Over the Holiday

by Clix



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Darcy is adorable, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Pepper Potts Keeps Everything Running Smoothly, Steve Rogers Is Craftier Than You Think, Tony Stark Is A Diva
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-01 22:03:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2789309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clix/pseuds/Clix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy Lewis loves Christmas. While tagging along as Jane's conferring with the Avengers, she suddenly gets an idea. But is it a good one?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Introduction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stitchomancy](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Stitchomancy), [Mix Stitch (Synph)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synph/gifts).



> This is a gift for tumblr user stitchomancy, who is a brilliant writer and deserves more than I know how to create. Merry Christmas, Z! I hope you have a fabulous holiday season filled with laughter and love.

"Hey…" The face that peeks through the doorway has a smile that manages to be both cheerful and tentative at the same time. "Are you Mr R… I mean, Captain, right? Captain Rogers?" The words come out in an excited almost-jumble.  
  
He can't help smiling back as he stands, brushing his hands off on his trousers before extending a hand to the young woman in a rather impressive bobble hat. "Steve is fine, but yes. What can I do for you?"  
  
She takes his hand and shakes it enthusiastically. "Oh! Right. Me. I'm Darcy. Darcy Lewis." She lets out a little laugh, rolling her eyes a bit. "Like I'm a super-spy or something. Not really. Double-oh nothing…" Her eyes suddenly widen and she freezes, as though she's realized a sudden mistake.  
  
A quiet chuckle ripples through him, and he shakes his head. "It's fine. I know who James Bond is."  
  
Darcy lets out a shaky sigh and grins again. "Whew! I just -- I'm still getting used to this whole being-around-superheroes thing. Which is kind of why I wanted to ask you something, because I had this idea, but then I thought maybe it wasn't a good idea, so I figured I'd run it by you and you could let me know what you think?"  
  
"I'll certainly do my best." He squeezes her hand a little, and her eyes widen again and she abruptly lets go of his hand and clasps hers in front of her. He smiles in what he hopes is a reassuring manner and lifts his shoulders. "What's the idea?"  
  
"Christmas." She rubs her hands together, as though she's getting warmed up, and then takes a breath. "So every year my family gets together at my uncle's farm, and there's a lot of us, and last year I invited Jane because she was just going to stay at the university and work and I mean, sure, dedication is good but like… it's Christmas, you know, and it just seems wrong to me to have somebody just by themselves at Christmas. So then this year she kind of hesitated and she asked if it'd be okay if Thor came too, because of course he doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas with, and … well… that's when I got my idea." She finally pauses to take another breath, and she's got one hand folded around the other, her thumb rubbing nervously at her knuckles. "What about the rest of you?"  
  
Steve blinks. "The rest of us? You mean the Avengers?" She nods quickly, and this time he's the one to take a slow breath. "Well… that's more than just one or two people. You're certain your family would be okay with it?"  
  
She nods again, brows pulling together, and lifts one hand for a short, dismissive wave. "Oh he… of course. But the thing is, I mean, I love my family and all, but I don't know, because I mean, we're not YOUR family or anything, so it might feel weird for you guys, bunking with a huge group of strangers. Plus, I mean, it's totally not, but some people might think that it was some kind of charity, like I was offering out of pity, and… um… well those people might not like that."  
  
He chuckles as he thinks it over. "You mean Natasha?"  
  
Her gulp is noticeable, and her smile is even more nervous this time. "Um. Maybe. Well… well, actually yes." She laughs again, and it's more genuine. Makes her eyes sparkle. "And Director Fury. And Professor Banner…" Darcy winces and lets out a sigh. "Maybe I just… maybe it's not such a good idea after all."  
  
Steve looks over his shoulder for a moment, then back to Darcy. "No… I think it's a great idea. And you know what, I think we should make invitations. I know I've got some pens and scissors, but I think I can also get my hands on some different colors of paper, probably some glue and… well, I'll see what else I can find?" Her enthusiasm is infectious, and as he puts a hand on her shoulder and leads her over to his desk, he finds that he's getting excited by the idea of all of them having a noisy, bustling Christmas together. "Pens are in that top drawer in the middle, and paper is over by the printer. Figure out what you think the invitation should say, and I'll be back in a few minutes?"  
  
She looks up at him with a soft smile. "Okay. And… thanks."  
  
He shrugs a little awkwardly. "Hey, you came up with the idea. I'm just getting the glue." With another grin, he heads out the door and down the hall.  
  


* * *

  
The next hour was a blur of flashing scissors, paper snowflakes, cut-out Christmas trees, fingers sticky with smears of glue, and glitter. Steve had gotten the supplies from Pepper, who shook her head, smiling wryly, and said, "Don't ask."  
  
By the time they get all the invitations written, the office is quite a mess. Pens are strewn across the desk, snibbles of paper are scattered everywhere, and Steve will be finding glitter in the most unexpected places for the next month. Darcy looks around after stacking up the invitations into a neat little pile. "Woah," she murmurs. "Kind of looks like Tinkerbell exploded in here." She hands the invitations to Steve. "Why don't I see about cleaning up while you deliver these?"  
  
He frowns at that. "You shouldn't need to--"  
  
"Let me rephrase," she interrupts. "Why don't I hide in here while you deliver these, in case anyone takes it the wrong way?"  
  
That earns a laugh. "Well, when you put it that way, how can a fellow refuse?" He waves the invitations at her. "I'll be back before you miss me."  
  
But he's still got three invitations left when he passes Jane in the hall and she says goodbye. When he gets back to his office, the desk is cleaned off, the trash can is full, and Darcy is gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *happy wiggling* I did it! My first MCU fic. The remaining chapters will be posted over the next week or so.
> 
> Steve and Darcy are a lot of fun to write, both as individual characters and as foils for each other. Hopefully I've captured their mannerisms and personalities in a way that's consistent with what's shown in the movies but also reveals new layers.
> 
> Comments = love!


	2. The Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With someone as genuinely kind as Steve, it can be hard to tell whether he's flirting or he's just being his usual friendly self. Darcy tries to figure it out, but then things take an unexpected turn...

There are already "cousins by the dozens" (as Gran had always put it) when Darcy arrives at the farm mid-morning with Jane and Thor in tow. Aunt Clara greets them at the door and tells them they can put their coats in Jacob's old room. But when another hour goes by, and then lunch passes without anyone other than family showing up, Darcy begins to get nervous. Despite Jane's reassurances, she can't help wondering if the others had thought the idea sounded silly… or insulting.  
  
Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the entrance that Tony Stark would make. The knocker thumps briskly, three times right in a row, startling cousin Meredith, who'd been sipping her cocoa in the front hallway. She looks around uncertainly before going to answer the door just as the bell rings with a long, insistent buzz. And when she opens the door, she doesn't even get a chance to step out of the way before Tony strides in. "Darcy, my darling!" he shouts, eyes sparkling, and pulls the surprised young woman into an exuberant hug, then kisses her on each cheek before leaning back and squinting at her. "Wait. You're not Darcy. Are you? Dark hair, glasses… you look like her, but you don't talk quite as much."  
  
"That's because you don't let anyone else get a word in edgewise," says Pepper Potts as she squeezes past him. "And don't stand in the doorway, you're letting the cold air in." She smiles warmly to Aunt Clara, who'd made her way through the crowd to welcome the most recent guests. "I'm so sorry we're late --"  
  
"You said stay on interstate eighty!" Tony interjects.  
  
Pepper rolls her eyes. "I said take interstate eighty-one."  
  
But Aunt Clara just laughs and waves them in. "Well, you made it here safe and sound, and that's what matters. We've already eaten lunch, but there's plenty left and you can fix yourself a plate in the kitchen. Please, make yourselves at home."  
  
The others show up a few minutes later in small groups - apparently they'd had something of a caravan. Professor Banner ambles in by himself, looks around, and heads for a quiet corner. And finally, Director Fury arrives, chuckling warmly at something Steve had said before they walked through the door. His smile changes the lines on his face, and Darcy decides he might be less intimidating than she'd thought.   
  
She passes on the message about lunch and takes their coats. As she heads toward the staircase, she passes Pepper and Tony again. She feels a tug on her sweater and pauses.  
  
Tony's eyes are twinkling. "So… where's the mistletoe?"  
  
Darcy tries to remember if she'd seen any, but between the garlands and the wreaths and the lights that were strung up around the house, not to mention the crowds of relatives, it's difficult to be certain.   
  
Fortunately Pepper interjects. "Don't worry about it. If he's that intent on finding mistletoe, he can look for it himself." She grins. "Maybe that will keep him out of trouble for a bit."  
  
"Trouble?" Tony was the very picture of wounded innocence. "Pepper! Why would you say such a thing about me?"  
  
Laughing quietly, Pepper threads her arm through the curve of his elbow. "Because it's true," she says fondly. She turns to Darcy again. "The gingerbread cookies are amazing, by the way. Thanks for inviting us."  
  
Darcy smiles back. "Well, thanks for coming." She makes her way upstairs as Tony drags Pepper off in search of more cookies.  
  


* * *

When she comes back downstairs, Steve is passing through the front hall, halfway through a plate of leftovers. He smiles when he sees her and waves, fork in hand. After chewing and swallowing, he holds up one of her mother's mini-biscuits. "These are really good. I hope nobody's keeping track of how many we take. I've probably eaten more than my fair share."  
  
"Around here, you have to fend for yourself a bit," Darcy replies. "If they're out, they're fair game."  
  
He shakes his head as he pops the biscuit into his mouth. It's down the hatch in seconds. "Wow. You know the recipe? What's the secret? Or, you know, is it a secret secret?"  
  
She can't help laughing a bit, but she shakes her head. "It's not really all that surprising. Any recipe that begins with 'Take a pound of butter' is bound to taste pretty good. Besides, even if it was a 'secret secret,' something tells me that your'e the sort of person who wouldn't go spreading it around."  
  
Steve nods solemnly, right hand up. "I promise."  
  
Her grin broadens at his oh-so-serious expression. "Scout's honor, eh?"  
  
"Well, to be honest, I never actually joined the Scouts. Folks often think so, but nope." At Darcy's inquisitive head-tilt, he just shrugs. "I didn't have a whole lot of extra time, since I picked up odd jobs where I could. Things were…" He hesitates, his gaze distant and unfocused, and Darcy wonders if she's maybe pushed him past what's comfortable. But before she can apologize, he goes on. "Things were tight for awhile. A lot of families were struggling." For a moment, he goes silent again, and then he blinks, his eyes clearing of the shadows that had clouded them. "Sorry… didn't mean to go all maudlin on you."  
  
Darcy shrugs. "It's okay. Everyone's got a mix of memories, good ones and bad ones. We wouldn't be who we are otherwise. Like when I was eight, I broke my arm going sledding. Definitely not a good memory, but I wouldn't be me without it."  
  
"That would be a shame." Steve's answering smile is warm and soft and butterfly-inducing without even trying to be.  
  
"So you're saying you're glad I broke my arm?" It was supposed to be a joke, but it comes out all wrong, and Darcy winces at how awkward it sounds.   
  
But he chuckles, taking it for how it was meant. "Just that I'm glad you're you."   
  
It's sweet and probably just nice, but it could be flirtatious, and so Darcy debates trying to say something equally maybe-flirtatious-but-still-kind-of-ambiguous, but all she can think of is, "Oh."  
  
"Hope that didn't put you off sledding for good," Steve adds. "I used to sneak off to Pilgrim Hill with -- with a friend of mine. We'd wrapped a tarp around a crate, laced it up good, and man, that thing could go."  
  
"Oh, no." Darcy shakes her head emphatically, flirtation completely banished from her mind. When Steve looks a question at her, she jabs a finger at his plate. "Finish your food. I'll go get you a snowsuit and grab a couple of saucers."  
  
His brow arches. "Not for tea, I'm guessing?"  
  
Her grin holds just a trace of devilment. "Definitely not for tea." And without saying more she goes up the stairs two at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a bit of historical / geographical research for this chapter. 
> 
> The Boy Scouts of America were incorporated in 1910, so Steve could have been a member, but I decided that he and his mother wouldn't have a lot of spare money for dues or activities. Additionally, I could definitely see him being the sort to try to get work to help his mother out.
> 
> Pilgrim Hill is said to be the best hill for sledding in Central Park. I couldn't find any historical references, but it would have been there in the '20s, so I figure kids went sledding there then as well.
> 
> Finally, I hadn't intended for Tony to have such a large role in this story, but he just demanded a scene! Hopefully it isn't too much of an interruption. ;D
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments make me smile.. ;)


	3. The Conclusion

Steve Rogers has faced Nazis, bloodthirsty mercenaries, power-mad aliens, vengeful half-deities and any number of other potentially terrifying foes. But when he first looks down the slope that Darcy called "King's Hill" and then looks back at her again to make sure it's not a prank, his stomach does a weird sort of flip-flop.  
  
He decides to blame it on the hill. "Is this part of the farm?"  
  
Darcy is still grinning as she walks around to the back of the pickup and pulls out the snow saucers. "Nope! State park. And it's open until dusk, so we've got about half an hour." She throws one leg over the top slat of the wooden fence, and does this interesting spin-kick thing that whirls her over to the other side. After he follows her lead, she hands him the red saucer, keeping the green one for herself.  
  
The snow crunches under their boots as they make their way through the trees to the open area that leads down the hill. Blanketed with soft powder and lined on either side with tall, stately pines, it looks like a woodland version of Fifth Avenue. Well, minus the traffic.  
  
"This just finished falling a few hours ago, so we'll have to go for a few runs to get a good path," Darcy explains. "It'll still be fun the first time or two, but the tighter we pack the snow, the slicker -- and faster -- the path will get." She looks up at him. "You want to go first, or should I?"  
  
The cold air has brought a flush to her cheeks and the tip of her nose, and her eyes are sparkling with excitement. Steve can't hold back a grin. "Ladies first, of course," he says. "Show me how it's done?"  
  
She grins back at him. "Watch and learn, buster." Carefully she makes her way to where the hill angles downward a bit more sharply. She plants her feet firmly in a wide stance, tucks the saucer behind her, and sits down. She then digs her mittened hands into the snow before lifting her feet and crossing her legs on the saucer. Rocking back and forth once, then twice, she takes a deep breath before pushing off with her hands as she rocks forward a third time, and the saucer begins to edge down the hill.  
  
It doesn't take long for it to begin to pick up speed. From the top of the hill, Steve can hear Darcy's delighted laughter echoing through the trees. Finally she reaches the bottom of the slope, the saucer drifting to a stop some yards beyond. He sees her waving at him as she begins the long trek back uphill, but it isn't until she's much closer that she's able to call out to him.  
  
"Hey!" she exclaims breathlessly. "What's the holdup?"  
  
He steps forward to the 'launch' position. "Figured it would be a good idea to have the pro check my form."  
  
Darcy laughs and helps him get situated. "You want a push?" she asks. When he nods, she drops to a knee behind him. "On three. One, two, _three!"_  
  
At first it's easy enough; just lean forward. But then for some reason, the saucer begins to rotate until he's looking at the trees that had been on his right. And they look like they're getting closer -- quickly. He can hear Darcy yelling at him to lean to his left, and he does, but apparently too hard, because that sends him into a spin and he barely has enough time to tuck and brace before he smashes into a sapling that looked a lot more flexible than it feels upon impact.  
  
Since there's no immediate danger, he doesn't need to jump right up to dodge an attack. So instead, he blinks a few times and takes a mental inventory. He managed to tilt to the side a bit, hitting the tree with his right hip and shoulder. They're sore, but don't seem to be injured. Briefly, he wonders if the snowsuit's real purpose isn't just to reduce the cold, but also to reduce injuries as well.  
  
He can hear Darcy yelling for him and scrambling down the hill. "I'm all right!" he calls, standing up carefully and brushing himself off. The tree appears to be equally unscathed; a few flakes of bark are missing, but that could have been from hungry deer or rabbits. Not necessarily his fault. The sled, however…  
  
He's drawing breath to apologize when it's suddenly knocked out of him by a sudden, almost-violent hug. "Oh my God, Steve, I'm so glad you're okay," Darcy babbles. "I saw you hit that tree, and you were going so fast, and you hit it so hard and all I could think was that you were hurt or dead and it was my fault and this was such a dumb idea and--"  
  
"Hey," he says, pushing her back a bit and looking at her almost sternly to get her attention. "I'm okay. And even if I wasn't, it wouldn't be your fault." She still looks worried, and that makes him smile a bit and pull her close again. When she nestles against him, burying her face in his shoulder, he wraps his arms around her, and somehow she fits just right. "I promise," he says softly. "Everything's okay." He can hear her snuffling a little, so to try to lighten things, he adds, "Well… except the sled. I think that's done for."  
  
Darcy lifts her head and looks over at its sad remains - shattered neatly into half-a-dozen fragments. "Holy smokes," she whispers.  
  
Steve looks down at her with an apologetic grin. "Sorry. Guess they left the vibranium out of that one."  
  
She peers up at him for a moment, trying to figure out if he's serious, and then she laughs. "Yeah, too bad you didn't bring that shield of yours along. Hope this didn't put you off sledding for good."  
  
"Are you kidding? That was fantastic!" When she swats at him, he ducks, laughing as he puts his hands up to block her. "Ow! Hey! Quit that!"  
  
"You brat! I was worried about you!" Darcy folds her arms and glares at him, but there's no real anger in it. "I'm glad you're all right," she grumbles. "But you're a real stinker."  
  
Steve leans down and picks up the shards of the saucer. "So… does this mean that's all the sledding we get to do?"  
  
"Well…" She puts her hands on her hips and looks up the hill. "We could ride tandem on my sled, if you were up for it." Looking at him again, she narrows her eyes. "One condition though - I get to steer."  
  
As they head back up the hill, Steve chuckles. "You'll get no argument from me."  


* * *

With two people on a single saucer, the ride down the hill is even faster. Darcy sits in front, cross-legged, while Steve nestles in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and peeking over her shoulder. The snow is almost a foot deep, and after slowing down so Darcy can keep up as they trudge back up the hill, Steve tucks the saucer under one arm and lets her hop up for a piggyback ride. Despite the cold, they're both rosy-cheeked and laughing.  
  
It's definitely past dusk when Darcy looks out over the tops of the trees, chewing on her lower lip uncertainly. Technically, they should be on their way back to the farm, but when she turns to Steve with a hopeful smile and says, "One more run?" he can't help smiling back at her.  
  
This run is even faster than any time before. It feels like he's flying, his arms wrapped around Darcy while she shrieks in delight. He knows this is his last chance, and so as they reach the bottom of the hill, he leans hard to the left. They both tumble out into the snow, the saucer skittering merrily away.  
  
Darcy is sputtering as she sits up. "What was that for?" she asks, pulling off her glasses and wiping the snow away.  
  
"Couldn't resist," Steve says, grinning up at the sky. A loosely-packed snowball hits him square in the face, and he lets out a yelp. "Hey now!"  
  
Laughing, Darcy backs away, scooping up more snow. "Couldn't resist," she retorts, lobbing it at him gently.  
  
He could easily dodge it, but it's more fun to let it hit him as he sits up and gathers his own artillery. They chase each other through the deepening twilight until they're both breathless from laughter and exertion. He catches up to her while she's trying to pack another snowball, and she squeals, ducking away, but he just lets his snowball drop and flumps onto the ground next to her. "Pilgrim Hill was fun, but… I'm glad you brought me here."  
  
She sits up and looks over at him with a soft smile. "Me too."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Darcy."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Steve."  
  
They load the saucers (well, one saucer and one set of saucer-fragments) into the back of the pickup. The drive back to the farm is quiet, both of them lost in memories of long ago… and of memories made today.


End file.
